Dental-floss holder



(No Model.)

G. E. GREENE.

DENTAL PLDSS HOLDER. No. 301,055. Patented June 24, 1884.

'50 ATTORNEYS GEORGE E. GREENE, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

' DENTAL-FLOSS HOLDER.

VEn'PIE!(`JII:" ICA'1ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,055, dated June 24, 1884. Application filed March 10, 1884. (No model.)

To LZZ whom, it may concern.'

Beit known that I, GEORGE E. GREENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Teeth-Cleaners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of this invention, and is a perspective view. Fig. 2 isa sectional view.

rlhis invention has relation to iioss-silk-holding attachments for tooth-brushes; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the perforated barrel having an outwardly-turned spring bow-arm formed with a cleft end catch, the cap of the barrel having a screw-stem, whereby it is attached to the end of the tooth-brush, the cutter-arm turned toward the spring bow-arm, the rubber washer, and the spool carrying the flosssilk in the cavity of the barrel, all as here- A inafter set forth,

and pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the hand of an ordinary tooth-brush, made short or cut off at B to provide a plane end bearing.

C represents the barrel of the attachment, having a cap, D, which is usually made with a thread on its circular lipl being designed to screw into the mouth of the barrel, which is turned toward the end of the brush-handle when attached thereto. The cap D is provided with a screw-stem, E, which is rigidly attached thereto, `and is designed `to have a coarse strong thread, so that it can be readily turned into a perforation, g, made in the end ofthe handle at about the center of the plane bearing-surface. When the barrel is attached, it forms an extension of the handle, lengthening it sufficiently for manipulation. A washer, H, is placed on the screw-stem between the cap and the end bearing, B, of the brushhandle.

K indicates a bow-arm, which extends from the end of the barrel in the axial direction, terminating in a laterally bent portion, Z, having at its end an outwardly-turned cleft catch, m.

P represents a cutter-arm extending paral lel to the shank of the bow-arm from the end of the barrel, to which it is rigidly secured,` and having its blade or cutting-edge s turned toward the arm, an interval being left between the bow-arm and blade sufficient to admit the osssilk to be cut.y

e represents the spool, which is wound with the floss-silk and is placed within the barrel, the end of the iioss-silk being drawn through a perforation, o, in the lateral wall of the barrel on that side to which the bow-armis turned. The ange ends of the spool are bev-` eled to prevent the Hess-silk from catching when being unwound. The rubber washer enables the user to turn the attachment to a firm bearing, and at the same time sufciently to bring the bow in the right position for use, which is preferably toward the front or brush side of the handle. A sufficient length of the floss-silk being drawn through the perforation in the barrel, a knot is tied in the end and passed through the cleft end catch of the bow, which holds it securely, the loose end being held against the rough end of the barrel by the thumb 'or finger of the right hand. The iioss-silk can be easily applied to the teeth, and is held rmly by the cleft catch and the tension-spring, so that it cannot be wasted by unwinding from the spool in thebarrel of the attachment. The portion used is easily separated by means of the cutter, and the barrel or case serves to keep the main portion of the silk from dust or moisture. and always ready for use.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination,with the barrel floss-silk holder having a screw-stem, ofthe threaded cap and a tooth-brush having one end of its handle provided with a threaded aperture to receive the stem of the holder, substantially as specied. v

2. The iioss-silk-holding attachment for tooth-brushes, consisting of the perforated barrei and cap, the screw-stem and washer,- the In testimony Wheeof I fbiix nay signature in outward1y-turned bow-arm having a cleft end7 presen-Ce 0f two Witnesses.

and the spooL-substantiaiiy as specified.

' 3. The oss-silk-holding attachment for GEORGE E. GREENE. 5 tooth-brushes, consisting` of the barrel, its cap and inclosed spool, the bow-2mn, and 'cutter Witnesses:

turned toward the bow-arm, substantially as CARRIE J. GODDARD,

specified. l JULIAN I?. DUNN. 

